The British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) regulates all nursing professions in British Columbia. Each licensee group brings specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities to clients and health-care teams. Across all licensee groups, nursing practice in BC is grounded in relational practice, a commitment to equity, and recognition of the social determinants of health — foundations that shape how nurses engage with clients, families, and communities across diverse settings and lifespans.
- Licensed practical nurses (LPN)
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Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) have successfully completed an entry-level practical nursing education program and met
BCCNM licensing requirements.
LPNs provide nursing care focused on the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health, and the prevention of illness and injury. They bring assessment, clinical reasoning, and care planning skills to a wide range of settings, including hospitals, long-term care, community health, and home care.
LPNs focus on clients with stable or predictable states of health across the lifespan. LPNs practise both autonomously and in collaboration with other health-care team members, contributing meaningfully to continuity of care and supporting integrated, person-centred care.
- Nurse practitioners (NP)
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Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have successfully completed a master’s level NP program and met
BCCNM licensing requirements.
NPs are advanced practice nurses whose graduate education and additional clinical experience support autonomous diagnosis and management within their scope of practice. They practise across the lifespan in a wide range of settings, including primary care, acute care, and specialty practice, often serving clients and communities where access to care is limited. NPs autonomously diagnose and treat diseases and disorders across the lifespan within their scope of practice. They prescribe medications, order and interpret diagnostic tests, and manage results independently.
NPs bring a nursing foundation to their expanded role — combining clinical expertise with health promotion, illness prevention, and a relational approach to care. They work collaboratively within interprofessional and multidisciplinary teams as clinically appropriate, supporting integrated, person-centred care.
- Registered nurses (RN)
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Registered nurses (RNs) have successfully completed an entry-level baccalaureate nursing education program and met
BCCNM licensing requirements.
RNs provide comprehensive nursing care across the lifespan and in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, community health, primary care, mental health, and long-term care. They assess, plan, provide, and evaluate nursing care, integrating health promotion, illness prevention, and relational practice within BCCNM nursing standards.
RNs practise both autonomously and in collaboration with other health-care team members and often take a coordinating role within care teams to support safe, continuous, and person-centred care.
Employed student nurse (ESN)
Students enrolled in a BCCNM recognized entry-level baccalaureate nursing education program who are in good standing may be eligible to apply for licensing as an employed student nurse (ESN).
The ESN licence supports the transition from nursing education into practice. ESNs carry out nursing activities for which they have acquired the competence to safely perform as part of their entry-level nursing program, under the supervision of a nurse. This licensing pathway allows nursing students to build on and apply their knowledge and skills, to consolidate their learning while continuing to develop their knowledge, skills, and clinical judgment in real practice environments.
Licensed graduate nurse (LGN)
Licensed graduate nurses (LGNs) are a class of nurses granted LGN licensing prior to Oct. 1, 1990. This is a legacy licensee group and is no longer open for new applicants.
Certified registered nurse (RN-C)
Registered nurses who successfully complete a BCCNM-recognized certification program may apply for RN-C licensing.
RN-Cs have advanced knowledge and skills in a specific area of expanded nursing practice, as designated by BCCNM. This expanded scope allows RN-Cs to perform many nursing activities autonomously, including the diagnosis and treatment of select diseases and disorders guided by the applicable Certified Practice Decision Support Tools and BCCNM practice and ethics standards.
Certification enables RNs to respond more directly to client needs within defined areas of practice, improving access to timely and effective care. The current list of BCCNM-designated certification programs is available on our website.
- Registered psychiatric nurses (RPN)
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Registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) have successfully completed an entry-level bachelor of psychiatric nursing education program and met
BCCNM licensing requirements.
RPNs are the only nursing profession in Canada educated exclusively in psychiatric and mental health nursing. They bring deep expertise in psychosocial, mental, emotional, and behavioural health across the lifespan.
RPNs provide nursing services for the for the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health and the prevention of illness and injury, with a particular focus on therapeutic relationships, trauma-informed practice, and the social and environmental factors that shape mental health.
RPNs practise in a wide range of settings, including mental health and substance use services, hospitals, community health, correctional facilities, and primary care. They practise both autonomously and in collaboration with other health-care team members and play a central role in supporting some of BC's most vulnerable populations, supporting integrated, person-centred care.
Employed student psychiatric nurse (ESPN)
Students enrolled in a BCCNM recognized entry-level bachelor of psychiatric nursing education program who are in good standing may be eligible to apply for licensing as an employed student psychiatric nurse (ESPN).
Like the ESN designation, the ESPN pathway supports students in bridging education and practice. ESPNs carry out nursing activities for which they have acquired the competence to safely perform as part of their entry-level program, under the supervision of a nurse. This allows psychiatric nursing students to build on and apply their knowledge and skills, to consolidate their learning and continue building clinical skills in practice settings, including mental health and substance use services.
Certified registered psychiatric nurse (RPN-C)
Registered psychiatric nurses who successfully complete a BCCNM-recognized certification program may apply for RPN-C licensing.
Currently, certification for RPNs is offered in opioid use disorder. RPN-Cs have expanded knowledge and skills in this area, enabling them to perform nursing activities autonomously, including the diagnosis and treatment of select diseases and disorders as defined by their certification program. This expanded scope supports timely, evidence-informed care for clients experiencing opioid use disorder and reflects the significant role RPNs play in BC's substance use and harm reduction landscape.